1. Look #24: Enroute to San Francisco

    November 20, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Geek Events, Journal, Outfit of the Day, Travel by Kristina Horner

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    The outfit of the day portion of this blog post is coming, I promise. It’s a journey we’ll take together, this time.

    So last week Thursday, my good friend and roommate Liz Leo and I set out on the most ambitious roadtrip we’ve ever taken, just the two of us. The trip was for NaNoWriMo and the Night of Writing Dangerously, which we’ve each done successfully for the past 8 years (7 for Liz) but never been to the huge write-a-thon party held in San Francisco each year. We powered down to Springfield, OR, stayed the night, then made our way all the way to Stockton on Friday. There was a lot of music listening, switching off who’s driving and who’s writing (we’re hardcore), appreciating how beautiful our corner of the country is, and hunting down the best roadside places to eat.

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    Then finally, on Saturday… we made it!! San Francisco is a crazy place, and man it feels good driving across the Bay bridge and knowing you earned being there, after 2 straight days in the car. Traffic or no traffic, we had arrived at our destination.

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    Of course the first thing Liz and I agreed to do was go to the Walt Disney Family Museum. I really didn’t know much about it, and we thought we’d just stop by and poke around for an hour or so… What really ended up happening was over three hours whizzing by without us even realizing it. The museum is FANTASTIC. I really enjoyed myself and I’m so glad we remembered to check it out.

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    The weather was beautiful in the city that day; sunny and clear but crisp in temperature, perfect for sweaters without jackets. I wore my brand new floral sweater and black skirt from Forever21, my red ankle boots from ModCloth, and coral colored socks I got from a cute little independent shop on the Ave by UW. It was a perfect outfit for traveling – comfortable enough for a long ride in the car, but fun enough for tourist pictures! I also bought myself some goodies in the museum gift shop, including a few gifts for people, so I wont be sharing those quite yet. If you ever get a chance to check this museum out, please do! It was wonderful.


    Note: This post may contain affiliate or referral links, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Disclosures.

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  2. Look #23: Earmuffs, Once and Pokémon

    November 12, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Journal, Outfit of the Day, Travel by Kristina Horner

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    The rest of my New York trip was even more fun that the first day – plus I realized I needed to start dressing warmer, which immediately upped the quality of my trip. This was my outfit on Friday; with a brand new sweater from Forever21, one of my favorite patterned scarves (also from Forever21), a mustard yellow basic tank and matching yellow backpack (the backpack is an old favorite from Urban Outfitters), black leggings, grey knee socks and my same bronze Cathy Jean boots. But the important part of this outfit, as I’m sure you noticed, are the gloves and earmuffs.

    I always keep a pair of gloves handy – I have a pair in my purse, in my car, in various coat pockets… I never want to be caught un-gloved! But the earmuffs were a new purchase. I saw them at one of those seasonal outdoor booths in NY and I just instantly knew I had to have them. My travel buddies teased me a bit, but let me tell you – my ears were toasty warm. No regrets. I plan to wear them all winter, regardless of what anyone thinks.

    Moving on from clothing – one of the highlights of the second day of my trip was visiting the giant Nintendo Store!

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    Not only did I get to totally geek out over all the Pokémon stuff they have out right now, I also got SO MANY STREET PASSES. It was glorious. Also, when I was purchasing a gift for my fellow Team Hypercube channel members, the person working at the register told me, “this is our phone number at the top of your receipt here; call us if you need anything. Even if you’re just stuck in a game. We can help.”

    What! So awesome! I had a great time perusing the store and knowing everyone around me totally understood the fangirl tendencies coming out.

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    My favorite part of the store was that upstairs there’s this exhibit area that changes based on what game just released a new version… obviously the exhibit was Pokémon themed for my visit, and walking through the “Pokémon Through The Ages” and getting to both reminisce and also be slightly embarrassed by just how many Pokémon things I’ve owned since I was 11 was just brilliant.

    I also got to eat at a whole bunch of great restaurants and meander through Central Park and finally experience Alice’s Tea Cup first hand. And to top it off, we closed out our trip by seeing “Once” with Arthur Darvill and not only were our “partial view” seats ridiculously amazing and close to the stage, the show was simply perfect. I enjoyed myself so much.

    It was five whirlwind days of a trip I will never forget, one I desperately needed. I adore cons and shows and business trips but I think people really need a true vacation every now and then, and this one lived up to my every expectation. I can’t wait to go back.

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  3. Look #22: New York Vacation!

    November 11, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Journal, Outfit of the Day, Travel by Kristina Horner

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    This past week I had the pleasure of visiting New York City purely for fun – usually my trips to this bustling metropolis involve work of some kind (whether that be playing a concert, attending a convention, etc.) but this trip granted me three full days of unplanned, unscheduled exploration of a place I never seen to have enough time in.

    My dear friend Eia Waltzer accompanied me on this trip, a friend I’ve traveled to many places with (including Rome, Paris, the Bahamas, and more). I think a good travel buddy is an important thing to find in life, truly. Eia and I have very similar priorities when it comes to exploring new places, which is a key element in traveling with the right person.

    This first day of our trip was rainy, which didn’t lend itself very well to the outfit you see above. I wore a lacy pink dress from Papaya, magenta patterned tights from Nordstrom Rack, peach Volcom socks and a gold bow necklace. Paired with a black peacoat and my bronze boots from Cathy Jean, I felt stylish but not particularly warm. I had no idea how cold and windy NYC can be in November, so the follies of this outfit influenced how I dressed for the rest of the trip.

    On our first day we ate at Chevy’s (because it was the nearest place with a roof and a happy hour once it started raining), did a fair amount of shopping and then saw Matilda on Broadway. I adored the show; the songs are catchy and fun, the lyrics are brilliant, the dancing was masterful and the kids were just utterly adorable and amazing. It was a fantastic first day to an already exceptional adventure of a trip. More to come in tomorrow’s post – be sure to check back!

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  4. Look #21: Creepy Dinner Party!

    October 24, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Geek Events, Journal, YouTube videos by Kristina Horner

    tumblr_muud55nopF1qbyopio1_500Last week, my good friend Tara of the GeekyHostess threw one of the strangest dinner parties I’ve ever been to. All we knew upon arrival was that we should wear “whatever you would normally wear to a reading of a will for a distant relative/acquaintance in his fancy home. ” I took this opportunity to wear a lacy black dress from H&M I don’t have nearly enough reasons to wear, black heeled boots from Cathy Jean, purple tights, emerald nail polish, a peacock feather pendant, a sock bun and my favorite piece of jewelry – a “poison ring”, which has a hidden compartment for storing things.

    We arrived at Tara’s place and were met with the creepiest tea party I have ever seen. Don’t get me wrong: the food and drinks looked amazing (Tara always outdoes herself); no, it was the dolls placed everywhere with broken faces and bleeding eyes that set my teeth on edge.

    Then, even though I was surrounded by my best friends, we entertained the most forced, awkward dinner conversation of all time – pretending no one knew each other and all had to discover how we were acquainted with the deceased (Harold Winchester the Third, a man who loved dolls more than anything else). It was the craziest meta-game ever. I can’t even explain it.

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    After dinner was the reading of the will, or rather, a game of Betrayal at House on the Hill where we were instructed to find Harold’s favorite room in the house so the will could be read there. The only catch – we were the characters in the game. Quite literally:

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    The game turned into a crazed hunt through the house to find the voodoo doll versions of ourselves and destroy them before Harold’s equally frightening attorney could kill us as keep us as dolls in his newly inherited collection forever. I was a paper doll, as seen above. I died.

    I don’t want to spoil too much, as Tara is writing up a post on her own blog about the evening, and there’s a Team Hypercube video about the event as well. Basically it was another perfect example of how weird/awesome my friend group is, and how I don’t think we’re even capable of doing anything normal. Of course we’d attend a murder tea party. Of course we would.

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  5. Ipsy Glam Bag Review: October!

    October 23, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Kristina Reviews Things by Kristina Horner

    I’m just gonna put it out there… this month’s Ipsy bag was kind of lame. There’s nothing particularly wrong with any of the products, but I kind of feel like it was a lazy month. Hardly any of it is even makeup, and what I like most is seeing the different products my friends and I get based on our preferences and skin tones and whatnot – but the bags my roommate Eia and I got this month were identical, down to the very last item. I’m still obviously going to review everything; I was just sort of disappointed.IMG_5366

    Starting at the top left…

    Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan body lotion: Always a fan of body lotion, but I’m not too sure about the coconut scent. It sort of reminds me of sunscreen, which is confusing when you live in the Pacific Northwest and it’s currently fall. My hands smell like it’s time to go to the beach, but my sweater and leg warmers say otherwise.

    Zoya nail polish in ‘Giovanna’: I did really like this polish. It lasted at least a couple days without chipping (which is sayin’ something on these hands) and the color is a gorgeous emerald green color. It’s actually perfect for the Narcissa costume I am putting together, as I don’t actually own any green polish quite like this.

    Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel: I’m not the biggest fan of lower-end hair products – my hair tends toward the greasy side already, so unless I’m using really great products, anything I put on it sort of just weighs it down or quickens the already fast-moving process toward oiliness. This product was just meh – my hair blow dried a bit straighter than normal, but it feels heavier rather than voluminous.

    LA Fresh Oil-Free Face Cleanser: I am a stickler about washing my face every night before bed, but every once in awhile there’s that lazy night… for me, it was when I watched American Horror Story after dark and was too afraid to go into my bathroom alone. Haha. I grabbed one of these cleansing wipes, and while I definitely wouldn’t resort to these every night, they do work in a pinch! They smell lovely and get rid of a fair amount of your makeup, which is a plus. They’re also biodegradable and compostable, which rocks.

    Starlooks lip liner in ‘Tickle Me Pink’: I’ll be honest – this is my very first lip liner. I’ve never used one before! I have no basis for comparison! It seems good, it’s a nice muted rose color, and I’m excited to get used to it!

    Let me know if you subscribe to ipsy and if you use these products, or if you’ve tried them on your own. And as always, if you want to sign up, you can do that here (subscribing through my link gets me ipsy points I can use toward free gifts!).

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  6. Clothing & Jewelry Review: Sammydress

    October 8, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty by Kristina Horner

    I was emailed by a company called Sammydress to try out a few of their products, and having used these wholesale one-size-fits-all sites before to relative success, I decided to give it a try.

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    I found that the trick is to just not try to buy clothes. I’m not a tiny asian women, so any blouses, sweaters or dresses I’ve ordered from sites like this before just… didn’t work out for me. But accessories! Oh the accessories!

    First I picked out the lovely brown purse you can see above. It’s surprisingly large and roomy, the buckles and sturdy and functional, and I can’t wait to give it a try. I also got a cute brown belt, as well as that pink belt (which I’ll admit, I only grabbed because it’s identical to the one i need for my Barbie costume.) Also, the double layer brown bracelet will match the accompanying belt almost perfectly.

    Let’s zoom in a little on the jewelry.

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    I’ve been on a big gold kick recently, so I used this as a simple way to pad out that collection. The two gold necklaces are just lovely, the ring actually looks like a cup of coffee (it has a little spoon on it, too!) and the earrings, though silver, will fit nicely in my quirky jewelry collection.

    Shipping does take a very long time with this site, as it’s coming from the other side of the planet – but that almost makes it more fun. By the time it arrives you’ve likely totally forgotten what you’ve ordered, which makes it a bit like Christmas.

    I’m curious what your favorite online clothing stores are? I have a handful I cycle between, but I could always use more. Let me know in the comments!

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  7. Look #20: Fall Farmer’s Market

    October 7, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Food, Journal by Kristina Horner

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    This weekend I was helping Joe move into his new apartment, when we noticed this adorable little Farmer’s Market settled in a lot about halfway between his place and mine. I’m not quite sure how I never noticed it before, but you can bet we pulled off to check it out.

    As pictured above, my greatest conquest of the trip was a crate of four boxes of blackberries that I can’t wait to turn into pie. I grew up next to a long, long street rich with blackberries along the entire left side, and ever since I moved away from home, I feel a nagging to pick berries come September. I don’t have any wild bushes around me anymore, so finds like this will have to do.

    I’m wearing a basic olive tank, a mustard crocheted cardigan and medium brown boots from Forever 21, think comfy olive socks from Target, and some fun patterned leggings I literally bought at a random K Mart in Montana because I did not pack warm enough clothes for my family road trip to North Dakota last winter. Fun and functional! The heart pendant necklace was a gift, so I’m not sure where it came from.

    Speaking of fun fall activities, I’m also currently running a great giveaway on Subblime to win a pair of Finn or Jake footy pajamas from ThinkGeek. Check out my recently posted list of Favorite Halloween Accessories and enter today!

    Great for pajamas, a rainy day at home, or a super simple Halloween Costume!

    What’s your special “fall” tradition? Apple picking? Hikes in the crisp autumn air? Going to a pumpkin patch? Let me know in the comments!

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  8. Look #19: Portland / Food Trucks!

    September 27, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Food, Outfit of the Day, Travel by Kristina Horner

    Portland is just a hop, skip and a jump away from Seattle – so when Joe asked if I would drive down with him for an audition he got, I really couldn’t say no. It’s always a pleasure to spend a day in a funky city like Portland, so off we went. tumblr_mtsspfV1d71qbyopio1_500 Portland is the city of weird, so I decided not to try too hard with my outfit. Comfy driving clothes, sunglasses to help against those final traces of sun, and a scarf and jacket combo for the bite of the cool autumn air. Tan boots, mauve tank and maroon jacket are all from Forever 21. Floral scarf is from ModCloth, and the sunglasses are a pair I picked up at a street vendor at a fair. Leggings are standard black ones I got a looong, long time ago at a shop in London.

    I worked in a coffee shop while Joe auditioned, and afterward, we decided to check out Portland’s famed food trucks. I’m a huge fan of foodtrucks, so rather than picking just one and ordering a full meal, we grabbed a few different items here and there to make the rounds and try multiple trucks.

    The favorite of ours by far was Brunchbox, where we ordered a Cheeseasaurus Rex:
    tumblr_mtra01150L1qbyopio1_500 The guy working the truck said we could make them battle. It made me smile. This truck also had a breakfast sandwich called the “OMG” that consisted of fried egg, bacon, ham and spam. I will return and try it one day, just wait. I dream of that day.

    The day also consisted of a short lap around Powell’s, shopping in various vintage clothing and toy shops, and dinner at a phenomenal German place we were still too full from food trucks to really enjoy. But on the plus side, we brought home GREAT leftovers.

     

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  9. Ipsy Glam Bag Review: September!

    September 24, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty by Kristina Horner

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    I got this month’s Ipsy bag in the mail! I love, love, love the bag itself this month, but let’s get a bit more up close and personal with the actual products. I’ll go left to right, with the silver eyeliner up first.

    Jesse’s Girl Liquid Eyeliner: I think this is my favorite product this month. The eyeliner is black, it’s got a super fine tip, and it goes on extremely smoothly. I am a huge fan of the Kat Von D liquid eyeliner of the same variety, and this was a pretty identical dupe. At $6.99, I will absolutely be buying this again.

    It’s So Big Volumizing Mascara: We got black mascara in last month’s bag as well as this month’s, and I’m of the mentality that most mascara is pretty much the same. I think I liked last month’s Pixi mascara better than this one – it claims to be volumizing, but I didn’t really notice a difference. In fact, it came out a little clumpy and I didn’t like the shape of the wand. I probably wont use this very much, if at all.

    NYX eyeshadow in Rock: I’m a little disappointed to have another NYX product in my bag two months in a row. I’m not saying I don’t like NYX products, but I already have a bunch of them, they’re cheap, and I can get them myself at a drugstore. I like Ipsy for being introduced to new products and brands, and NYX feels very much like filler. That being said; it’s a nice color, but one I already have quite a few variations of in my collection.

    J.Cat Beauty Fantabulous Lipstick in Honeycrisp: So, I wasn’t very excited when I first looked at this lipstick, because it’s a pretty plain, neutral color. I sort of feel like you really only need one neutral color of lipstick, you know? But when I opened this and gave it a try, I had to eat my words. It doesn’t look like much, but this lipstick smells delicious. It’s a combination of honey, butterscotch, and other amazing fall-inspired scents. I’m gonna be straight – it’s sort of like rubbing butterbeer on your lips. So, I’m in. I love it.

    Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple: Again, I’m sort of a naysayer when it comes to lip products. I hate lip gloss, I’m not the biggest fan of lipstick – but lip balm, I’ve found recently, is my jam. This product has really funky packaging, but I loved it. It’s a super pigmented red color, that works surprisingly well with my skin tone. I usually avoid reds because I feel like it sort of brings out the redness in my skin, but this one is just lovely. The brush applicator is new to me, but I really enjoyed it. The only downside is that when you take it apart it has three pieces (which can be a bit awkward on the go) but other than that, this is a great, fun lip balm.

    I’d say this was a pretty good month. There’s always good and bad and mediocre things in every bag, but I think when you know you’ll keep using at least 2-3 of the items, that’s not a bad haul.

    As always, if you’re intrigued by Ipsy and want to sign up, you can here! If you use my referral link, it gets me special Ipsy points that can be redeemed for additional products.

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  10. Look #18: Say Hello to Fall!

    September 17, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Fashion/Beauty, Journal, Outfit of the Day by Kristina Horner

    I guess it’s still technically summer, but lately when I’ve been going outside – it doesn’t feel like it. I love the sun and the beach and short denim cutoffs as much as the next girl, and I’m really not ready to let summer go… but I won’t pretend there isn’t a little growing excitement to pull out my scarves and legwarmers and sweaters and pumpkin spice candles. Come on. I can feel it in the air… can’t you?

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    This was the first outfit I’ve worn this year that I felt was decidedly fall. It wasn’t for any specific occasion… just for the anticipation of things to come. I’m wearing a red leather jacket I picked up at Forever 21, a lacy crop top and floral pants from Target, and my yellow Tieks. The headband is from Claire’s, of all places. Hey – don’t knock good accessories!

    I can feel summer projects winding down and fall projects picking up. My Extra Life sense are tingling, my NaNoWriMo fingers are itchy, and my Project 4 Awesome muscle wants flexing.The air of festivities is upon us, and I can’t wait for Halloween parties and Thanksgiving gatherings and holiday celebrations – and of course, most of all: the very best festivals in World of Warcraft.

    I thought I would mourn the loss of summer a bit more, especially with how little time I was actually able to spend in the sun this year because of Job Hunters, but this time of year makes me feel so alive that I really just feel happy and anticipatory and ready to spend some quality time with my friends and family and everyone in between.

    What do you most look forward to about fall/winter? Which holiday is your favorite? Which party makes you the most excited? Let me know!

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